# My most prized cigar



## Fid (Apr 10, 2014)

In 1996 I attended the Chicago Comicon with some friends. My sole reason for going was so that I could meet my favorite science fiction writer, icon Harlan Ellison. The line was long when he made himself available but it moved pretty quick. When it was my turn, I stepped up to the table and presented him with my copy of "Mephisto in Onyx" and asked for for his autograph. I was able to chat with him for a moment so I took that opportunity to also present him with a cigar(Punch Rothschild) which I had brought from home just for him. I told him that I had seen him smoking a pipe or cigar in many photos and that I would like him to have it.

He looked in horror at the cigar and told me it looked like a dog turd and that he didn't smoke anymore. But he did thank me for the gesture. Fast forward one year and my friends and I were attending the Comicon in Novi, Mi. Mr. Ellison was giving a presentation for which we had gotten tickets. Harlan Ellison is an incredible writer and public speaker who doesn't care if he offends anyone for the most part. The punchline to a story he was telling about the French was, "Ou est l'Hotel George V, mother f****r!" He brought the house down.

I had yet another chance to meet him seeking an autograph after the presentation. No book this time, though. I reminded him that the year before I had tried to give him a cigar in Chicago, but he claimed not to remember which I think is likely. I then presented him with another cigar(The Griffin's double corona), but before he could completely recoil in horror again I asked him to autograph it for me. He said he didn't think he had signed one before, pulled out a sharpie, and carefully scribbled him name below the band of the cigar. I took it home, inserted it into a glass tube and sealed it with a cap and lots of melted wax. And that is how I came by the most prized cigar of my collection.


----------



## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Great story!


----------



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

Very nice! :nod:


----------



## defetis (Jan 5, 2014)

very cool story


----------



## jp1979 (Sep 12, 2013)

Very nice.


----------



## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

Sweet story. 
Yeah he probably has a lot of people requesting unusual objects to autograph. I doubt he would remember a stogie.


----------



## Tasiac (Nov 21, 2012)

Awesome story, Jeff. I've heard of all sorts of things being autographed, not cigars though!


----------



## Gheldan (Mar 22, 2014)

I'm jealous you've just met my favorite speculative fiction writer of all time. It is nice to know we share similar tastes Jeff. I've got all his college tour CDs as well the DVD "Dreams with Sharp Teeth" which is basically Robin Williams and Neil Gaiman asking him questions and following him around.


----------



## Fid (Apr 10, 2014)

Gheldan said:


> I'm jealous you've just met my favorite speculative fiction writer of all time. It is nice to know we share similar tastes Jeff. I've got all his college tour CDs as well the DVD "Dreams with Sharp Teeth" which is basically Robin Williams and Neil Gaiman asking him questions and following him around.


Not quite just, it was almost twenty years ago. How did I miss Dreams with Sharp Teeth, though. I am going to watch at the first opportunity. I have been in awe of the man for as long as I can remember and you are right, he is definitely speculative versus science when it comes to fiction.


----------



## Gheldan (Mar 22, 2014)

Science/Speculative doesn't make much difference to me, but he gets in a lather if you call him a science fiction writer. The extra at the end of Dreams with Sharp Teeth where he sits down and eats a pizza and just chats with Neil Gaiman is amazing. You will really enjoy all of that.


----------



## Livinloud5 (Apr 20, 2012)

Nice. At least he is honest.

Blake.


----------



## Tobias Lutz (Feb 18, 2013)

That's freakin' awesome!


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

How cool is THAT??


----------



## Keeper01 (Mar 1, 2014)

That's pretty damn cool!


----------



## Fid (Apr 10, 2014)

Thanks all. I'm not a show off by nature, but that cigar is one of the few possessions I have of which I am pretty proud. And it makes a good story.


----------



## LegoMaximus (May 8, 2014)

thats pretty cool save it


----------



## jsnake (Oct 6, 2009)

I have a special unbanded Room 101cigar from Matt Booth that he wrote "2 in the stink" on.


----------



## bigLuke5595 (May 22, 2014)

That is cool beans, dude, and a great story to boot


----------



## ryanmac45 (Jul 22, 2013)

Great idea for an autograph.


----------



## JargonScott (Jan 28, 2014)

A+!


----------



## Senor_Perfecto (Apr 2, 2014)

Smoke that shit!

(and JargonScott, stop spamming)


----------



## Fid (Apr 10, 2014)

Thanks to all for the kind words on this.

JargonScott, you get an F-.


----------



## 11GTCS (May 20, 2014)

That's a really neat story! I'll have to try and check some of his stuff out. I've been thinking about going to ComicCon (well the Nerd HQ sub event) to see Adam Baldwin, I'll have to bring a cigar and see if he'll sign it (since he's a huge cigar smoker). 

That's a priceless and cool idea. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## ubenumber2 (Mar 9, 2014)

very cool


----------



## ELLASU (Jun 9, 2014)

Cool:thumb:


----------



## Weldon78 (Nov 30, 2014)

Nice story Jeff


----------



## PSD4 (Jan 5, 2015)

Very good, well done!


----------



## Love Big Ashes (Jan 13, 2015)

My FUENTE FUENTE OPUS X that I've been aging for 3 years. It's going to be my celebratory cigar when my business opens in Spring this year. CAN'T WAIT!!!! I bought this stick on my first business research trip to Seattle, I paid $35 plus 17% sales tax (I'm pretty sure I was taken for a ride too lol). The B&M owner was kind of pushy and I was in a new and exciting city so what can I say. I'll let you all know how it goes when I finally light that bad boy up.


----------



## Mr.Draned (Jan 18, 2015)

Very cool story!


----------

